


lets show them we are better

by orphan_account



Category: IT (2017), IT- Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe- Modern TIme, Alternate Universe- Performing Arts School, Everyone Is Gay.mp3, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-20
Packaged: 2019-05-25 19:05:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14983598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: As Audra’s voice joined his for the chorus, Eddie finally opened his eyes. She was gazing at him as though he’d just saved her child from a burning building. He let his gaze moved over to where Richie stood, hand pressed over his mouth. The boy was too far away for Eddie to read his expression, but he stuck up his thumb and Eddie’s confidence grew[or an incredibly self indulgent and gay performing arts school AU]





	lets show them we are better

**Author's Note:**

> Songs featured in this chapter: I Don't Wanna Be- Gavin DeGraw

let’s show them we are better

Eddie fidgeted awkwardly in his seat. He hadn’t seen Bill Denbrough in months, not since his best friend had gotten accepted to one of the pretentious art schools nearly two hours from their town. Eddie had been proud of Bill, over the moon for him. Bill’s writing was his life, and Eddie could only ever remember hearing Bill talk about wanting to write something that would change the way people looked at their lives. Wanted to make movies that would bring people to tears, move audiences around the world. Eddie remembered people- even his own mother- had always had such a negative outlook on that ideal. Sure, Bill had writing talent, nobody could question that- but could a small town boy really make it in the harsh, cutthroat world of Hollywood and the arts? Derry Arts had certainly thought so, Bill had even gotten early acceptance.

And now? Eddie was filing into the unbelievable huge theater in the school to watch Bill’s first solo-written play. Eddie had missed his best friend painfully, school had been nearly unbearable with the person whom Eddie had always considered his only ally. So yes, Eddie was happy for Bill- but he also missed Bill so much that he forgot that sometimes.

Moments like right now, when Eddie was backstage where Bill had _told_ him to meet him but Bill had yet to notice Eddie was there. Was too caught up talking to a pretty- really pretty, shit- dark haired girl. They appeared to be going over some sort of booklet but Eddie’s heart still plummeted into his stomach.

Eddie was considering just going to find his mother and tell her to take him home when a lanky-looking boy with glasses and wild black curls ran past Eddie, nearly sending him flying. “Sorry, mate!” He shouted in a fairly obviously fake accent before Eddie he was carrying one of those terrible wooden dummies in his hands. “You know what they say! Big shows, must go! Rush a rush a rush!”

Eddie blinked as the pretty, dark haired girl came running up to the boy. “Richard! Give me that thing! I swear to God, you’re worse than a child!”

The boy- Richard- pouted and handed the dummy over. “Aye, but you must be ataking a good care of him, lassy, yes.”

“Are you trying to be British or a pirate?” The girl rolled her eyes at Eddie as though they were old friends. “Guess it’s a good thing all you do is music. Anyway, you’re Eddie, right?” The girl turned to him, smiling brightly.

“Wait, like, Bill’s Eddie?” Richard asked, suddenly dropping the terrible accent. His regular speaking voice was deeper, an almost soothing sound despite the apparent sound of cigarette use. Richard looked him up and down. “Denbrough really undersold you. Shit.”

“Beep beep, Richie!” The girl laughed. “Sorry about him. I’m Audra.”

Eddie shook her hand, suddenly grinning to himself. “Oh, you’re the lead! The one Bill tried to get with and turned out was dating a girl. I like you.”

Richard started laughing so hard he had to kneel forward and press his hands into his knees. “Holy fuck…” He wheezed. “Your reputation proceeds you, Phillips!”

Audra smacked Richard in the shoulder with his own dummy and rolled her eyes. “Jesus- beep beep!” Audra turned and gave Eddie a smile. “Bill is great, if just a little _too_ straight for my taste.”

Eddie sighed. _Now that_ he could relate to.

“Hey now. Everybody needs a designated heterosexual friend.” Richard winked in Eddie’s direction. “Besides, Denbrough’s a gay magnet. Remember what happened with Stan and Mike?”

“That was almost a disaster, and you’re the only one who thinks it’s funny.” Audra said darkly, shaking her head. She brightened again instantly, slipping her arm into Eddie’s. “Let’s go find your boy!”

“He’s not my boy,” Eddie said, glaring down at his feet for moment. He felt Audra stiffened where their arms were connected and could feel Richard’s gaze barring into the side of face but Eddie’s mind was already wandering. Bill hadn’t told him about any of these people, except Audra. The only other person Bill had ever mentioned to him was some kid named Tozier- definitely no Stan or Mike that he’d had some sort of falling out with.  Eddie’s stomach tightened in anxiety, he should have known coming here was a bad idea. He probably didn’t even know Bill anymore. This was _Art School Bill,_ Eddie didn’t know Art School Bill.

But the Bill that turned when Audra called his name and gave a grin that spilt his entire face sure _looked_ like that Bill that Eddie had known his whole life. He definitely hugged Eddie tightly like Eddie’s best friend Bill.

“Kaspbrak, bro!” Bill cheered, flops of brown hair falling into his eyes. “I’m so glad you’re here, honestly, this wouldn’t even feel real if you didn’t get to-“

“Denbrough!” A female voice carried through the back of the stage, and everybody turned. A small girl- really small, Eddie suspected that even he had a few good inches on her height- with bright magenta hair came flying towards them with a chubby curly haired boy in plaid hot on her tail. “We have a giant ass fucking problem!”

“Bev- what?” Bill looked around as Audra stepped forward and slipped her hand in Beverly’s. Beverly Marsh, that was actually another name that Eddie knew.

“Stan spilt his kneecap.” The plaid boy said, biting awkwardly on his bottom lip. Bill entire face dropped and Eddie felt Richard take in a sharp breath beside him. “He’s been in the emergency room for a good hour already, there’s no way he’s going to make it.”

“What the _shit!_ Stan is my lead, what the fuck do I do?” Bill groaned deeply, covering his face with his hands.

Eddie blinked in confusion. “Do you not have understudies for your leads?”

“Uh, no, Edward, because that would have been fucking smart.” Bill bit back. Eddie rolled his eyes.

“Well, is there anybody who knows all the lines?” Eddie crossed his arms and looked around at the group of Bill’s friends.

“Well…” Plaid boy cleared his throat, glancing at his feet. “Richie does.”

“NO!” Bill, Beverly and Audra all cried in unison. Richie glanced around in mock horror, clutching at his chest.

“Why, I am _hurt,”_ Richie said in some sort of Southern accent done at a ridiculous higher pitch. “Perhaps a lady will just be taking her talents where they are _appreciated.”_

Richie turned on his heel to stomp off but Beverly reached out behind her and grabbed onto the back of Richie’s T-shirt, holding him in place. Richie put up a mockery of struggle for a few seconds before submitting and along Beverly to hold him still.

“There actually is somebody else who knows the lines,” Bill said slowly, looking up to meet Eddie’s gaze. Eddie cocked up one eyebrow.

“Who?”

“You.”

Richie spun around and nearly tripped over Beverly. Beverly and the Plaid Boy exchanged looks while Audra gave him a once over before grinning.

“That’s perfect,” she said softly, prompting Eddie to squawk in horror.

“What! No!” He cried. “It most certainly is NOT perfect, at all, in any way! Bill! How could you even- I’ve never even- I don’t even go here!”

“It’s not actually a school production,” Beverly informed him with a shrug. “They’re letting us use the auditorium and resources because they’re really supportive of our personal projects, but technically speaking- you don’t actually have to be a student here to be a part of something not paid for by the school. You’re fine.”

“But I’m- I’m not an _actor,_ Bill, come on! You can’t be serious!” Eddie cried, hand twitching towards the pocket that had once held his inhaler on a reflex. “I’ll ruin your show, I can’t-“

“My show is already ruined,” Bill pointed out calmly. “I don’t have a male lead, and you’re the only person I can get to jump in. Even if you aren’t amazing, you’re better than having to stop the show completely. Please, Eddie, you’re our only hope.”

“You said yourself that Richie-“ Eddie argued weakly, seeing in everybody’s eyes already that Richie wasn’t an option.

“I’m a fucking terrible actor,” Richie confirmed weakly. “I’m a music guy, I can’t act to save my life. Better to cancel the show completely than put me on that stage.”

“Come on, Eddie… please?” Audra pouted and Eddie whined in the back of his throat.

“But I… I can’t _sing.”_ Eddie grasped at that final straw he thought might get him out of this ridiculous situation that would’ve been avoided if his stupid ass had just stayed home like his gut had told him to.

“Well, luckily for you, Eddie Spaghetti.” Richie was suddenly all grins again.

Eddie blanched. “Oh my god, never call me that ever again.”

“I can sing,” Richie finished, reaching for clip-on mic that sat on the table beside Bill and Audra. “So, all your pretty little mouth is going to have to lip sync along to the words and I’ll work all the magic. Not that I don’t think your mouth can work magic because I totally believe-“

“Beep, beep, Richie!” At least three people cried as Eddie felt his face begin to burn.

“Alright, alright, I get it, I’m gross,” Richie held his hands up in surrender. “But I’m also right. And we all know it.”

Eddie looked at Bill for a  long moment, fear and anxiety written all over his face. Bill stuck his bottom lip out slightly in a pout and Eddie’s stomach dropped and he sighed. “Fuck, oh my god, okay. Okay, okay, fine.”

Everybody around him cheered and Bill quickly dragged him into a bone crushing hug. “You’re the fucking best okay, Ben-“ He pointed at the plaid dressed boy and gestured behind him. “We need to figure out some costume bullshit, Bev and Rich- you’re in charge of Eddie. Don’t let him get away.”

Richie grabbed Eddie by the shoulders and started rubbing aggressively. Eddie winced and shrugged away. “Now its a beautiful coming of age story,” Richie told him in a voice too deep and too serious. “A boy finding himself in ways he never thought he could, finding out who he is- a person he never thought he was.”

“I know what it’s about!” Eddie waved Richie away. “I probably knew what it was about before you did, by the way.”

Richie gave Eddie half a smirk and pushed him towards Beverly. “Make him pretty, Bevs! Well, prettier. If you can.”

“Don’t mind, Trashmouth,” Beverly whispered to him as he guided him towards a table covered in thousands of different makeup products. “He’s a flirt, and kind of disgusting, but he’s harmless. Got a real soft heart that boy.”

“He seems nice,” Eddie said lightly, though not untruthfully. Richie _did_ seem nice, all of Bill’s friends seem nice. Was it possible everybody at art school was nice? Seemed unlikely but what could Eddie know about it.

“Nice isn’t exactly a word I’d use to describe him,” Beverly laughed. “He’s my best fucking friend, but he’s a dick.”

“Well, it is his name.” Eddie said lightly, as Beverly started brushing powder across his cheeks. Beverly burst out laughing and had to step away.

“I like you, Eddie.” Beverly said as she started back up.

“I- thanks,” Eddie flushed slightly, reaching down to fiddle with the hem of his sweater. Ben came racing into the area, nearly tripling and falling as he dropped a baseball cap on Eddie’s head.

“Okay so, Bill and I took a look at Stan’s costumes and basically decided that Eddie is absolutely not going to be able to fit in any of Stan’s pant changes.” Ben rambled off, scrolling through his phone. “Which works out I guess, because I doubt Eddie would be exactly comfortable letting you take his pants off three times tonight.”

“Yeah, uhm. No. Sorry,” Eddie said softly. Beverly waved his apology off and nodded for Ben to keep going.

“But the shirts and his jacket and everything should be good to go,” Ben continued. “They’ll be big and we’ll probably have to roll the sleeves up on the jacket but it’ll be fine.”

Eddie and Beverly nodded to him as Ben wandered back off. Beverly titled her and cupped Eddie’s cheeks in her hands, squeezing slightly. “I wish I’d had a chance to experiment on you a few times first, but obviously, we can’t always get what we want. So I’m going really simple, which works for the character anyhow. The fact that you’re naturally beautiful really helps, too, ya know?”

“Oh,” Eddie flushed and bit into his bottom lip. “I… thank you. Ive never really be good with compliments. Not really used to it.”

“I want to say I find that hard to believe, but you’re a public school kid so I do believe it,” Beverly said sadly. “It’s a shame, though. You’re pretty as fuck.”

Eddie made an awkward embarrassed noise in the back of his throat as Bill jumped into the area. “Bev, hurry up. I need my leading man! He’s on in three minutes.”

“Oh my god…” Eddie squeezed his eyes closed and mentally pleaded with himself not to hyperventilate.

The show felt like it was flying past him, the lines falling out of Eddie’s mouth as though they were meant to be there. He hadn’t even truly realized how much attention he’d been paying while Bill had talked about the story, had run over the play with him. Sure, he’d known that his brain had absorbed plenty of things about it, but he certainly hadn’t realized that it was enough to take over for the main role.

Richie’s voice took over perfectly with every transition, Eddie marvelled that they managed not to have any dead air between Eddie’s mic turning off and Richie beginning to sing. He couldn’t promise that he was the best lip syncer but he trusted that the audience was far enough away that it wouldn’t truly matter.

As the final song of the show, the very end of everything, Audra gave Eddie a reassuring smile but Eddie knew something had gone wrong before he had any reason to know it. As soon as the opening notes for the final number kicked up, a deep sick feeling settled in his stomach. He pressed his hand against his chest and quickly realized what the problem was when the muffled noise when off.

Eddie’s mic was still on.

Eddie felt the twinge of panic in his chest as Richie appeared at the side lines of the stage. The other boy waved the mic which had once been attached to his chest and Eddie’s heart jumped right into his mouth. Richie couldn’t help him, there was nothing they could do, it was over.

Audra was looking at him imploringly and Eddie inhaled deeply as she finished her part. She squeezed her eyes shut, she knew it was over, too. They’d tried their best.

Suddenly Eddie was overwhelmed with the knowledge that he couldn’t let Bill down. He _wouldn’t_. So he opened his mouth and forced it out.

 _“I don’t have to be anybody other, then the birth of two souls in one,”_ Eddie sang desperately, forcing his eyes closed. He could do it, he knew he could. “ _Part of where I’m going is normally where I’m coming from.”_

As Audra’s voice joined his for the chorus, Eddie finally opened his eyes. She was gazing at him as though he’d just saved her child from a burning building. He let his gaze moved over to where Richie stood, hand pressed over his mouth. The boy was too far away for Eddie to read his expression, but he stuck up his thumb and Eddie’s confidence grew.

“ _I’m tired of looking around rooms, wondering what I gotta do,_ ” Eddie belted, just praying that his voice wasn’t terrible and that nobody in the audience was wishing they could cover their ears and it could be over. “ _And who I’m supposed to be! I don’t wanna be anything other than me_!”

The song ended, and the stage went dark as Eddie was ushered off the stage. Audra grabbed hold of his hand as they moved and squeezed so tightly he thought he might loose all blood flow. The second Bill caught sight of Eddie, he let out an over excited scream and was launching himself into his arms.

“Oh my god, I love you, you’re the most amazing best friend ever, I love you, i love you,” Bill cried, pulling away and cupping Eddie’s face in his hands. “Holy shit, I could fucking kiss you!”

“Please dont,” Eddie laughed almost hysterically. His body was pulsing with adrenaline, he’d never felt his alive even after his most successful run.

“Edward!” The shrill, angry voice came bursting through the back stage crowd and it was like a giant bucket of cold water was dumped all over him.

Bill quickly dropped his hands from Eddie’s face and took a huge step back. Sonia Kaspbrak stomped over and grabbed tightly at Eddie’s wrist, yanking him around to face her fury.

“What were you thinking!?!” She cried, tears already starting to burn into her eyes. Eddie had to resist the urge to scowl at her. Leave it to his mother to come in and ruin this moment for him. “You could have been hurt! What would I have done if something had happened to you, Edward?”

“Mrs Kaspbrak, I sw-swear-“ Bill started fruitlessly. Mrs Kaspbrak turned to glower at him.

“I don’t want to hear anything from you, William Denbrough! I always said you were a bad influence on my Eddie, but I listened to him when he said you were a good kid,” Mrs Kaspbrak shook her head sadly. “I should have trusted my instincts. This will be the last time we come up here. Eddie is never to see you again.”

“Ma! No!” Eddie said desperately as his mother grabbed hold of him and made the move to pull him away.

They found themselves facing a tall man in a woolen sweater with an almost crazy grin. Mrs Kaspbrak pulled Eddie closer to her on a reflex.

“Do you go here?” He asked and Eddie felt his chest go tight.

“I-“ Eddie stumbled, looking over his shoulder at Bill and his friends. “No, I don’t, I-“

“Do you want to?” The man asked and Eddie thought maybe he’d passed out. Bill’s eyes went wide and Richie nodded at him excitedly.

“Oh no, my Eddie will never-“

“Actually,” Eddie spoke over his mother, the confidence from the stage, that confidence he’d never felt before, returned. “I would love to.”

 

 

 


End file.
